Last Updated on August 10, 2024
Are you looking for the best place to live in Florida for families? Whether you already have little ones or are looking to start a family, it’s important to choose a nice place to live.
There are a lot of great places in Florida to live with your family, but one of the top destinations that always comes up is Sarasota.
With low crime rates, neighborhoods filled with friendly people, and a positive environment for all residents, Sarasota lives up to the standards of what a family might be looking for when choosing their forever home.
And with plenty to do for the whole family, this major Florida city packs it all, being located along the Gulf of Mexico in western Florida.
In this post, I’ll cover a few of the top reasons why Sarasota should be added to your list of places to move to in Florida, as well as a few of the best things to do in the large city.
Why Sarasota Is The Best Place To Live In Florida For Families
There are a lot of reasons that families love living in Sarasota. It’s also been rated as one of the most neighborly cities in the country, and for good reason.
Here are some of the top factors that make it such a great place to live for residents.
1. Volunteering Rates
Volunteering at local organizations can really help the community out, and many of these places wouldn’t be able to survive if it weren’t for volunteers.
The Sarasota community has come together to volunteer and give back to the community.
There are so many opportunities for volunteering including packing food at the food bank, restoring after hurricanes, and helping at animal shelters.
Volunteer Sarasota County documented that in 2022, there were over 190,000 hours of volunteer service contributed to the county.
That’s a huge win for the community!
2. Charitable Giving
Along with volunteering your time, another way to give back to the community is monetary.
And in Sarasota, the local residents do a great job at making sure the city has the funds it needs to keep programs up and running.
From annual donations to charitable giving throughout the year, there are many different ways that residents can support Sarasota and Florida’s local causes.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County helps provide grants for local non-profits and residents can help by donating to any of the causes.
A few of the best nonprofits in Sarasota that work to give back to the local community include the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, Vintage Paws Sanctuary, Beyond the Spectrum, Cat Depot, and Selah Freedom.
3. Voter Turnout
Voting during elections is an important responsibility of being a citizen of the United States, and luckily, Sarasota has seen a great voter turnout in recent years.
Back in 2022, Sarasota County had a voter turnout rate of around 62%, which is right around the rest of the national average.
Nearing ⅔ of registered voters turning up to vote is a great feat, and not all cities around the United States are able to achieve this.
Living in a city that has a high voter turnout rate is great because it means that the local residents are playing a part in electing officials that they think deserve to be seated in office.
4. Crime Rates
Considering the crime rate of the destination that you’re moving your family to is important because you don’t want little ones around a lot of crime.
Luckily, Sarasota has a low crime rate when compared to some of Florida’s other largest cities.
When we look at Orlando, which has a crime rate of 43.66 crimes per 1,000 residents, according to Neighborhood Scout, Sarasota’s is much lower at 35.19 crimes per 1,000 residents.
It’s similar in crime rates to Miami and Jacksonville, which both hover around the 35 crimes per 1,000 residents mark.
Thankfully, property crimes are much more likely in Sarasota than violent crimes are.
So if you do become a victim of crime, there’s a higher chance it’ll be theft or property damage than it will be violent.
5. Population Changes
Many people are finding out that Sarasota is the best place to live in Florida for families, and people are continuing to move here.
When compared to the 2010 census, there was a 14% increase in residents in Sarasota County by 2020.
When you look at just Sarasota itself, the increase is 5% more residents moved to the city of Sarasota between 2010 and 2020.
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Best Things To Do In Sarasota, FL
Sarasota is packed with reasons to make it your home, but you’re also probably wondering what there is to do.
Being located right on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Sarasota has so many great activities for everyone.
Here are a few of the best things to do in Sarasota.
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Relax on Sarasota’s many beaches
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Go kayaking or paddle boarding in Sarasota Bay
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Visit the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
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See the Sarasota Jungle Gardens
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Wander through The Ringling museums
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Watch a drum circle on a Sarasota beach
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Walk through the Sarasota Farmers Market
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Visit Downtown Sarasota
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Visit Myakka River State Park
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Wrap-Up: Sarasota Is The Most Neighborly City In Florida
If you’re planning on moving your family and are looking for the perfect place in Florida to live with your kids, then Sarasota should be at the top of your list.
It’s been rated as one of the most neighborly cities in the United States according to Neighbor .com and has plenty of great attributes for families.
From the low crime rate to the high volunteering opportunities, great voter turnout, and all of the fun activities for people of all ages, there are so many reasons why residents believe that Sarasota is the perfect place to call home.
You may be interested in these related articles:
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